Born: March 30, 1965 in Prostějov (Severomoravský kraj in Czechoslovakia)
Height: 1.90 m
Plays: Right-handed
One of the biggest malcontents on the tour. Discontent with everything surrounding him from the first points of a match. Grimaces, throwing rackets (once even towards the umpire!), jeering at the linespersons. I’m not sure he was like that already as a young player or off the court; the negative aspects I write about him are what I remember from watching his matches in the 90s, what I noted about him at the time he was active. Dangerous – tennis-wise – mainly on clay courts. He showed his potential for 
the first time in 1986, triumphing in Washington (on clay at the time!) as a player ranked No. 110. En route to the title, he defeated six players, four of whom were clay-court specialists. He had to wait until 1991 for his best season – that year he won four titles (three of those finals against Magnus Gustafsson, the biggest one occurred in Hamburg). That year he shared the court five times with Gustafsson, losing to him inter alia in the French Open first round. They were both Top 20 players then, both could count on going far in Paris, so it was a very brutal first-round match-up, impossible after the change of rules for seeded players (in 2001). For a few years Nováček had a status of one of the best players who had never reached a major semifinal.
His third quarterfinal opportunity came not in Paris, but in New York ’94. I had never seen Nováček before being so calm, as he convinced himself that only utter focus would guarantee him a win over Jaime Yzaga. The Czech player kept his composure after squandering chances to win that match much more quickly: he wasted six set points from leading 5:2* in the 2nd set, and a 5:4* (30/0) lead in the 4th set. Nováček fired career-best 28 aces and ultimately left the court as a winner 6-2, 6-7, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3. “It was the dream destination to break the quarterfinals of the Grand Slams, and I am endlessly happy that I did it today,” Nováček said. “I won 13 tournaments. I have been playing Davis Cup. I have been playing Masters. I have been playing everything that basically exists in tennis, but I never went to play in the semifinals of Grand Slams.” Earlier, in the third round, he’d survived a rare match withstanding match points in sets 3 and 5 (Todd Woodbridge). In the semifinal, he lost in straights to Michael Stich, a player whom Nováček beat in straights a few months later in Melbourne, so in retrospect, he can think that a major final was really within his grasp. Following the Australian Open ’95, he was losing almost everything and decided to retire at the age of 31.
Similarly to his team colleague Petr Korda from the Czechoslovakian times, Nováček had all strokes very classical, but he lacked Korda’s finesse. At the time they were both at their peaks (early 90s), their older compatriot Ivan Lendl wasn’t interested in representing Czechoslovakia anymore; he was applying for US citizenship. It’s a pity for Czechoslovak tennis because in the years 1991-93, with the still fit Lendl on the board, and good young doubles players like Daniel Vacek (alert: different pronunciation than “váček”… the /tʃ/ vs /ts/ distinction) and Martin Damm, Korda and Nováček could have had a big chance to triumph in the Davis Cup (they lost in the quarterfinals those years, to Yugoslavia, USA & Germany respectively) as well as in the World Team Cup (they played the ’92 final against Spain).
Trivia: Nováček [48] was in sensational form at Roland Garros ’87, dropping just four games in his first eight sets of the tournament (!), against average players nonetheless: Dutchman Tom Nijssen 6-2, 6-1, 6-0; “triple bagel” against Eduardo Bengoechea of Argentina; and Eric Winogradsky of France 6-1, 6-0, 2-6, 6-4. In the quarterfinal he lost to fellow Czechoslovak.
Career record: 299–245 [ 242 events ]
Career titles: 13
Highest ranking: No. 8
Best GS results:
Roland Garros (quarterfinal 1987, 1993)
US Open (semifinal 1994)
Born: March 25, 1970 in Olofström (Blekinge)
Height: 1.95 m
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
A highly skilled player known for his unconventional choices on the court, Larsson, similarly to other distinctive, very tall players born in 1970 (Marc Rosset and Richard Fromberg) possessed two significant assets: serve and forehand. In 1991, he showcased his potential by defeating the top two players in the world at that time, Boris Becker in Adelaide and Stefan Edberg in Monte Carlo, both in deciding third-set tie-breaks (he would defeat Becker again – in New York – to reach his first major quarterfinal). Excelling in winning deciding tie-breaks was a 
hallmark of his early years on the tour; however, his streak ended in Estoril ’93 when he lost to Karel Nováček, marking his first defeat after twelve (!) consecutive tie-break victories in decisive sets at the main level.
Larsson was a formidable threat to the best players of the early ’90s but had to wait until 1994 for his breakthrough moment. His journey to the French Open semifinal was punctuated by an incredible match against the tournament sensation Hendrik Dreekmann, in which Larsson saved six match points in the third set. This breakthrough allowed him a berth in the season-ending “Grand Slam Cup” in München, where he experienced his most memorable tournament. Following his contributions to Sweden’s Davis Cup victory against Russia, Larsson triumphed over two of the decade’s best players, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, along with other top-tier competitors like Edberg and Todd Martin, earning a remarkable $1.625 million for his four-match performance. Due to this success, concerns arose that he might lose motivation, akin to David Wheaton‘s situation three years before.
In 1995, Larsson continued to perform well (at the time he had three times defeated Thomas Muster, who was in amazing form) positioning himself strongly for a “Masters” appearance until an unfortunate incident on June 15th drastically changed his trajectory. During an exhibition match against Jan Gunnarsson in Sweden, he suffered a broken leg, sidelining him for almost six months and causing a decline in his ranking. Despite returning to professional play for another eight years, his movement was somewhat restricted post-injury. Larsson remained a dangerous competitor mainly indoors, relying on a diverse serve (great angle at slice serve on deuce court) and a powerful forehand struck effortlessly.
After a six-year title drought, he secured his last ATP championship in Memphis ’00. A glimpse of a career resurgence emerged when he reached the Copenhagen final the following week, notably defeating a teenage Roger Federer 6-3, 7-6(6), from a 1:6 deficit in a tie-break. However, a recurrence of his broken leg necessitated surgery on his right knee on August 14, 2000, leading to nearly a year away from competitive tennis. His final period from 2001 to 2002 marked a gradual decline, culminating in an impressive performance in his last major (Australian Open ’03), taking the favorite for the title, Lleyton Hewitt, to five sets. Larsson comes from Olofström, an industrial town of only 7K inhabitants, yet the town known for the automotive industry, produced two Grand Slam semifinalists, the first was Gunnarsson as he reached the Aussie Open ’89 semifinal.
Career record: 310-221 [ 225 events ]
Career titles: 7
Highest ranking: No. 10
Best GS results:
Roland Garros (semifinal 1994)
US Open (quarterfinalist 1993, 97 & 98)
Davis Cup champion 1994 & 1997
World Team Cup champion 1995
Grand Slam Cup champion 1994
Born: April 3, 1978 in Hamburg
Height: 1.88 m
Plays: Right-handed
Began playing at age 4 with his Austrian father (“haas” is a Dutch word, means ‘hare’), Peter, who is a former European champion in judo and an ex-schoolmate of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Haas’ career is one of the longest (21 years at the main level) & strangest, interrupted as many as four times by long breaks, even six times if we count his junior career. Haas’ potential was noted by tennis guru Nick Bollettieri. The US coach was so impressed by the young German’s talent that he offered Haas the chance to stay and train at his Bollettieri Academy in Bradenton, for free. Haas began attending at age 11. At 13, speaking little English, Haas moved full-time to Florida to train at the academy along with his older sister Sabine. Two years later, he appeared on the ATP ranking thanks to some points obtained in American Satellites.
In January ’95, Haas broke his leg and didn’t play for four months at all. When he came back, he had to modify his plans, and instead of attacking bigger events (Challengers & ATP), he continued his junior career, achieving the best result at the end of the year when he lost the Orange Bowl final to Mariano Zabaleta, coming back from another injury which prevented him for playing several months. First attempts to enter the ATP events (progressing through qualifications) weren’t successful, and Haas decided to play his farewell junior event (Roland Garros, quarterfinal). Afterward, as an unranked player, he debuted – thanks to a ‘wild card’ – in a Challenger in Weiden and advanced to the final, defeating players with ATP experience. It boosted his confidence, and when he got a ‘wild card’ to his first main-level event in Indianapolis, he reached the quarterfinal, being stopped by the best in the world – Pete Sampras.
A few months later, they met again, and Haas easily took a set in Basel (4-6, 6-2, 3-6). Then it was quite obvious that he’d be a Top 10 player soon. Bollettieri said that Haas was the most gifted player he had ever trained. Indeed, the young German sometimes was playing like “unbeatable Roger Federer” many years later: a very good serve, great movement, equal easiness to hit the ball off both wings, amazing backhand… attacks to the net? – no problem after the serve and during rallies with different approach-shots. When they met in the Aussie Open ’02 it seemed their technical skills were at the same level. The big problem was consistency, something that was bothering the young Andre Agassi (albeit the teenage Agassi achieved much more than the young Haas) – if Haas had had a good day in the years 1997-98, he would have easily won; if things didn’t go his way, he complained, mixing English & German, was throwing his racquets & losing quickly. He was almost deprived of really dramatic matches in the first two years of his career.
Another two years finally delivered complex matches. Haas reached the Australian Open ’99 semifinal & obtained an Olympic silver medal in Sydney ’00, on both occasions being beaten by Yevgeny Kafelnikov. It seems the end of 2001 brought the best version of Haas, and he would be able to fulfill expectations. Between Long Island ’01 and the Australian Open ’02, he was actually the hottest player on the tour, winning 29 out of 34 matches (three titles, including the biggest in his career, Stuttgart indoors) – it meant more wins than notched the best player at the time – Lleyton Hewitt. That fantastic streak was soon reflected in the ranking. Haas became No. 2 in the world in May 2002 (after the final in Rome), and there are two curiosities connected to that year proving Haas’ weird career: despite being No. 2, he didn’t play the “Masters,” neither that year (one match in Paris separated him from that) nor in the future – no other player ranked so high, never participated in the season-ending championships. The second curiosity – he underwent right rotator cuff surgery in New York on Dec. 20, 2002, which caused the first of his four long breaks (2003, 2010/11, 2014/15 and 2016 – each time he missed ten months at least).
In 2003, he didn’t play at all, another time sidelined for a year he was between the seasons 2010-11 as he underwent right hip surgery on Feb. 21, 2010, and one month later underwent right elbow surgery (at the time he had an abysmal 3-12 record); the third long break as a pro it’s a period between May 2014 and June 2015 (arthroscopic surgery on right shoulder again), finally, the fourth break, the longest in his career, occurred in the entire 2016 as on April 13 that year, he underwent the ninth surgery of his career to repair a torn ligament in his right foot! He was sidelined for fifteen months. As a 39-year-old father of two daughters, he came back one more time in 2017 to play his farewell season, losing more often than winning, but in Stuttgart as No. 302 he stunned 36 y.o. Federer [5], saving a match point, in the oldest ATP match since the 1981 Brisbane 1R (46 y.o. Mal Anderson defeated 28 y.o. Jim Delaney), thus 75 years combined beat 74… Haas was an all-court player, capable of playing well on each surface. There’s one interesting thing about his five-setters: no other player in the Open Era has won so many 5-set matches being 1 or 2 points away from defeat. The German won six five-setters saving match points (out of twelve matches of this type he won), including one of the most amazing matches in history at Roland Garros 2013 when he ousted John Isner, having wasted twelve match points in the 4th set (nine at 6:5!)… then he saved 1 MP at *4:5 in the 5th set, earlier trailing 0:3 (30-all). If he had lost that match, it would have been the record of match points wasted before a loss. Besides six “best of 5” MP-down wins, he also won thrice in five-setters being two points away from defeats.
Career record: 569–338 [ 348 events ]
Career titles: 15
Highest ranking: No. 2
Best GS results:
Australian Open (semifinal 1999, 02, 07)
Roland Garros (quarterfinal 2013)
Wimbledon (semifinal 2009)
US Open (quarterfinal 2004, 06, 07)
Silver medal at Olympics in Sydney 2000
World Team Cup champion 1998 and 2005
Born: August 27, 1976 in Palma (Mallorca)
Height: 1.88 m
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Moyá left the tennis circuit in the shadows, which is unfortunate because he considerably contributed to modern tennis. It’s a shame he didn’t announce his retirement at the end of 2008 like other famous players like Stefan Edberg (1996), Patrick Rafter (2001) or Marat Safin (2009) who decided to say goodbye with farewell seasons feeling the end is near. In the last two years of his career (2009-10), during the struggle with a foot injury, Moyá was practically non-existent at the main level, with only ten tournaments and four wins.
Considering that he had already won a major title and reached a final of the other at the age of twenty-one, one might say he finished his career as an underachiever. On the other hand, who could have expected in 1996 that this 20-year-old long-haired clay-courter would become the No. 1 player in the world one day in March ’99? Above all, he exemplified a player who maximally adjusted his game-style to his abilities. Sometimes it was almost ridiculous how he played forehands from the backhand side, but somehow it worked very efficiently thanks to his brilliant footwork.
While his forehand alone wouldn’t have achieved so much, he was a big server at times and a very clever volleyer. He used his net skills on faster surfaces wisely, in some sense beginning a new era in Spanish tennis. Before Moyá, every Spanish player was synonymous with a clay-court specialist. He achieved a lot on hardcourts and indoors but never adjusted his game to grass. I think it’s more a matter of his return games because he simply didn’t have time to prepare himself properly for powerful forehand shots from his left side.
The alleged clay-courter Moyá built his name by defeating Boris Becker twice within a few months on two different surfaces. First, he did it in Paris-Bercy ’96 (2R, carpet!), then in the Australian Open ’97 first round. The second victory over the defending champion on Australia’s main tennis arena had a significant impact on the rest of Moya’s career. “Playing against him gives me extra motivation,” admitted Moyá. “Becker is one of the greatest players in tennis history.” Suddenly, he became a fan favorite, especially for teenagers, with his oversized Nike clothes, headband, and Babolat racquet – he definitely helped popularize the brand, which had been primarily known for strings before.
Expectations were high since the second round, and he rose to the challenge, advancing to the final where he received a lesson from Pete Sampras. There was a big gap between them, as Moyá admitted, but already ten months later, he defeated the American in Hannover (Masters). When Moyá advanced to No. 1 in March 1999, he surpassed Sampras on the top spot. He held the top spot for two weeks (only Rafter has had a shorter reign among the 28 ATP ranking leaders of the Open Era). “I always believed that winning a Grand Slam was the best thing that could happen to you. But this [being No. 1] surpassed that. There were a lot of players that wanted to dethrone Sampras. There was pressure. And for me, it was the only chance.” In the first half of the 2000s, the Spaniard played below the expectations he created in the late 1990s, especially at Slams where he couldn’t have reached the semifinal, but still won two Masters 1K titles (Cincinnati ’02 and Rome ’04).
Trivia: Moyá is a record-holder for the most consecutive wins when a deciding third set tie-break was required. He won 17 matches of this kind in a row in the years 2002-08 before losing 7-6, 6-7, 6-7 to his protégé Rafael Nadal, in what was then a record-tying three-setter in terms of duration. For the past few years, Moyá has been Nadal’s coach. Nadal on his fellow Mallorcan said: “Moyá was a pioneer in this sport. He deserves everybody’s recognition. He has done very significant things in the world of tennis. He was No. 1 in the world, a difficult thing to achieve, won the biggest tournaments… He has contributed greatly to Spanish sport.” Indeed, Moyá secured the Davis Cup trophy for the country from the Iberian peninsula in 2004.
Career record: 575–319 [ 326 events ]
Career titles: 20
Highest ranking: No. 1
Best GS results:
Australian Open (runner-up 1997; quarterfinal 2001)
Roland Garros (champion 1998; quarterfinal 2003-04 & 07)
US Open (semifinal 1998; quarterfinal 2007)
Davis Cup champion 2004
Masters runner-up 1998
Born: February 24, 1981 in Adelaide (South Australia)
Height: 1.78 m
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
I distinctly recall the moment I read in the newspaper about Hewitt’s victory over Andre Agassi in the Adelaide ’98 semifinal. At that instant, I thought he would ascend to become the best player in the world – a prediction that came true, albeit without the decade-long dominance I anticipated. He was just shy of 17, ranked at 550, and secured his place in the event through a ‘wild card’ entry. Although Agassi was recuperating from a notably poor 1997 season, during which he suffered a significant drop in rankings, his name alone could be intimidating for a kid. Thus, when this inexperienced Aussie teenager triumphed in two tie-breaks (repeated it in San Jose ’02 in much more dramatic encounter) against a player who had firmly established himself as the second-best of the ’90s, I foresaw remarkable achievements in Hewitt’s future.
The following day, Hewitt navigated a tense match against his future coach, Jason Stoltenberg, becoming the lowest-ranked champion in ATP history (the third youngest, following Aaron Krickstein and Michael Chang). Hewitt’s career unfolded in two phases: a period when he was a top-tier player, the standout in the first half of the 2000s, and a later phase comprised of ten years when his momentum waned, leading him to countless five-setters against inferior opponents (32-25 record in the end… began with 0-3, finished with 0-6).
Contemplating why the Australian, lacking a dominant shot, was exceptionally successful at a young age (two major titles: US Open and Wimbledon and two “Masters’ titles 2001 / 02), I believe two factors were pivotal:
– at that time, serve-and-volley players still held sway in men’s tennis, albeit declining, and Hewitt found a winning formula against them;
– Hewitt matured earlier than the more naturally gifted players born in the early ’80s (Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Marat Safin… none of whom achieved impressive results as teenagers)
Drawing a parallel between Hewitt and another legendary champion, Jimmy Connors comes to mind. Like the American icon, Hewitt played with flat strokes, wasn’t naturally inclined to serve-and-volley, but in line with Australian tradition, regularly engaged in doubles, allowing him to confidently approach the net during rallies. Another similarity lies in their incredible competitiveness – they’re the kind of players who leave everything on the court, relentlessly fighting until the last point, utilizing every legal tactic to mentally intimidate opponents.
Hewitt’s records against serve-and-volleyers a decade his senior in the early 2000s were really significant: 9-1 against Tim Henman, 5-4 versus Pete Sampras, 4-3 facing Greg Rusedski, 4-0 Wayne Arthurs, 3-1 against Patrick Rafter, Mark Philippoussis and Todd Martin, 3-0 versus Goran Ivanišević, and 1-0 against Richard Krajicek. These records underscore his phenomenal reflexes, the ability to maintain a solid return against opponents who earned numerous points directly behind their serves, compelling them into volleys and exploiting opportunities with passing-shots or lobs – Hewitt’s distinctive strokes (especially the top-spin lob), particularly effective against attackers but less advantageous against defensive players.
One of these grinders, Tommy Robredo, defeated Hewitt in five sets at the French Open ’03 (it was followed by a shocking loss to Ivo Karlović at Wimbledon), marking the beginning of the end of Hewitt’s reign in men’s tennis. The early 2000s witnessed a notable transformation in tennis dynamics: the introduction of improved racquets empowered players to serve faster and generate more topspin as well as craft tighter angles in their game, thus the serve-and-volley technique declined in popularity while an increasing number of players adopted two-handed backhands. This period saw a strategic shift towards patiently waiting for an opponent’s error or seizing opportunities to attack with groundstrokes. It became evident that Hewitt’s energetic style wasn’t as effective against the diverse range of baseliners dominating the scene. The shift in tactics was particularly highlighted in Hewitt’s rivalry with Federer. Initially, the Australian held a 7:2 advantage in their meetings. However, when the Swiss opted to alter his strategy, the change in approach led him to winning 15 consecutive matches, starting with their Australian Open ’04 encounter. Hewitt’s dominance on the men’s tour, initiated with his US Open ’01 triumph when he dismantled Sampras’ potent serve like no one before on hard courts, endured for approximately two more years. “He returned and passed about as well as anyone I’ve ever played,” remarked the 14-time Slam champion. “He’s got the best return and the best wheels in the game.”
Throughout his peak years, Hewitt’s serve was also formidable; he took significant risks with his second serves, perhaps more than any other player of his stature. I think he enjoyed a beautiful career given his technical skills, and it would have been thoroughly fulfilled if he had won the Australian Open once. For some strange reasons, he was playing below expectations in his home Slam, surpassing the fourth round only once in twenty appearances; it happened in 2005 when he had an exceptionally tough route to the final and ran out of gas facing Safin. After his last two titles, collected in 2014 (Brisbane & Newport), when it seemed possible he’d be seeded in majors for the first time since 2010, Hewitt began struggling to win any matches which must have led to the decision to quit – he did it on Rod Laver Arena at the Aussie Open ’16.
Career record: 616–262 [ 271 events ]
Career titles: 30
Highest ranking: No. 1
Best GS results:
Australian Open (runner-up 2005)
Roland Garros (quarterfinal 2001 & 2004)
Wimbledon (champion 2002; semifinal 2005; quarterfinal 2004, 06 & 09)
US Open (champion 2001; runner-up 04; semifinal 2000, 02; quarterfinal 2003 & 06)
Davis Cup champion 1999 & 2003 (in both editions he highly contributed as a singles player)
Masters champion 2001-02
World Team Cup champion 2001
Year-end ranking 1997-2015: 550 – 113 – 22 – 7 – 1 – 1 – 17 – 4 – 4 – 20 – 21 – 67 – 22 – 54 – 186 – 83 – 60 – 50 – 307
Born: June 17, 1985 in Paramytha (Limassol)
Height: 1.79 m
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Μάρκος Παγδατής developed his tennis talent in France, where he moved from Cyprus as a 12-year-old boy. However, his career highlights were closely connected to the Australian Open, where he consistently enjoyed the strong support of the Greek diaspora. Hailing from the southern part of the island, which is a Greek speaking area, while northern belongs to Türkiye, Παγδατής made a name for himself in the tennis world of the mid 00s and he’s the best Cypriot player in history by a country 
mile (an enormous 47-4 record in the Davis Cup, but it shouldn’t be treated super seriously as he never took part in a tie of Group One which I estimate as the Challenger level… among those 47 wins there are only 2 against an equal opposition, both against Jarkko Nieminen).
His first appearance Down Under was in 2005 (he’d claimed a junior title there in 2003) when, as the 155th-ranked qualifier, he surprised everyone by defeating two seeded opponents. One year later, he made significant progress, reaching the final (defeated by Roger Federer) which puts him in a similar category with Mikael Pernfors, Martin Verkerk and Mariano Puerta, so unseeded players who advanced to a Grand Slam final not having played a quarterfinal before, marking career-best achievement. Along the way, he outlasted three higher-ranked opponents in five-setters (including quarterfinal and semifinal – another resemblance to Puerta’s case), displaying resilience and fantastic interactions with the crowd. However, the fifth set wasn’t his strong suit overall, as he concluded his career with a 14-10 record (9-2 in Melbourne). One of his most memorable five-set encounters occurred at the Australian Open ’08 when he lost a 4:43-hour thriller to Lleyton Hewitt, marking the latest finish in Melbourne at 4:33 a.m., despite a comeback from 1:5 in the 4th set. In the first two rounds, the Cypriot had defeated the finalists of 2002.
His appearance in Melbourne in ’09 marked the only time he shaved his head throughout his career. One year later, he stunned David Ferrer, then considered one of the best five-set specialists, in the second round. It was the biggest comeback of his career, trailing 4-6, 3-6, 3:4 on return. The Australian Open ’12 showcased a different side of Baghdatis; always cheerful and smiling, yet occasionally throwing his equipment, facing Stan Wawrinka for the first time, he demonstrated unprecedented anger, smashing four racquets in just one minute during a change of ends! “I cannot have any regrets. Maybe the only regret I have is the message I gave by breaking those four racquets in Australia to the young fans,” he admitted a few years later after retirement. I consider him an underachiever. In spite of his modest height, his serve was a significant weapon at times, and his ground-strokes off both wings were exceptionally fluid. Moreover, he moved around the court with ease, and his heart-on-hand attitude always helped him garner support from the spectators. Nonetheless, as one commentator pointed out, “he loves women, wine, & singing” – with this free-spirited attitude, it’s not easy to maintain a consistently high level of play week by week for eleven months a year.
Trivia: he defeated all the best players born in the 80s he faced, except Novak Đoković (0-8 Head-to-Head), but came very close to doing so at Wimbledon ’07 when succumbed a five hour epic being within a few points to win each set he lost. Baghdatis had overcome the two-years-younger Serb (6-2, 2-6, 7-5) when they faced each other for the only time as juniors in 2002.
Career record: 349-274 [ 278 events ]
Career titles: 4
Highest ranking: No. 8
Best GS results:
Australian Open (runner-up 2006)
Wimbledon (semifinal 2006; quarterfinal 2007)
Born: September 19, 1978 in Córdoba (Sierras Pampeanas)
Height: 1.76 m
Plays: Left-handed
Part of an intriguing generation of South American players emerging on the tennis circuit in the late ’90s, the infamous Argentinian wasn’t as naturally gifted as his counterparts like Chilean Marcelo Ríos, Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten, or Ecuadorian Nicolas Lapentti. Nevertheless, Puerta solidified his status as a regular ATP player after Wimbledon ’98 and was seen as a potential future top Argentinian player among the likes of Mariano Zabaleta (he had a similar service technique to Puerta, elevating his racquet before the ball toss), Franco Squillari, and Guillermo Cañas.
The year 2000 proved pivotal for Puerta a “clay court prince”. He had a highly successful Latin America swing, securing finals in Mexico City and Santiago, and ultimately claiming the Bogotá title playing almost day-by-day a third successive week, despite facing a match point down against Kuerten in the semifinal. Later that year he reached back-to-back European finals in Gstaad and Umag. However, his progress halted in 2001 due to a left wrist (ligaments) surgery in January, causing him to miss almost five months, and playing poorly after the comeback. Later, he served a nine-month suspension after testing positive for clenbuterol at Viña del Mar in February 2003.
It seemed Puerta’s career was in jeopardy. His ranking plummeted to No. 440, and he grappled with weight gain. Yet, in October ’04, he participated in and won a Futures event in Chile; it activated an inspiring resurgence from a player once eyeing the Top 10. A little over six months since playing in an obscure Chilean court, Puerta displayed outstanding tennis on Centre Court in Paris. The Argentinian showcased remarkable clay-court prowess, defeating formidable opponents like Cañas (quarterfinal) and Nikolay Davydenko (semifinal) in similar five-setters. His play was characterized not only by colossal forehand winners but also by incredible dives, a rarity on clay courts. In the opening set of the final, he performed exceptional tennis against Rafael Nadal, who claimed his maiden French Open title though, but had to give his all to avoid a decider.
Unfortunately, Puerta faced another accusation of using illegal substances, this time the cardiac stimulant etilefrine. Consequently, in December 2005, having lost six straight matches at the main-level (three at “Masters” included), he received an eight-year suspension as a recidivist, the longest in tennis history at that time, effectively terminating his professional career. However, this suspension was later reduced on appeal, permitting Puerta to return in 2007.
Puerta had to forfeit all his ranking points and prize money from the 2005 French Open onwards. However, his finish as a finalist at the 2005 French Open was allowed to remain on the record books. In June 2007, after a 1.5-year hiatus, Puerta embarked on an unsuccessful comeback. Despite climbing back to the Top 300, ATP event officials were uninterested in offering him ‘wild cards’. After two years competing at the Challenger level (193-121 record at this level throughout career, ten titles), the forgotten Puerta decided to retire at the age of 31.
Career record: 128–118 [ 117 events ]
Career titles: 3
Highest ranking: No. 9
Best GS result:
Roland Garros (runner-up 2005)
Born: November 7, 1970 in Genève (Romandie)
Height: 2.01 m
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Rosset, much like David Wheaton, is considered a notable underachiever in the tennis landscape of the 90s (nonetheless Rosset’s career was much longer and incomparably better). His potential warranted an entry into the strict elite circle, possibly even partaking in several “Masters” events or clinching a major championship. Wheaton’s trajectory took a downturn after he captured a title in Munich ’91 (Grand Slam Cup) – an event that appeared to dampen his motivation for years to follow. On the other hand, Rosset experienced the zenith of his career a few months later, securing his most significant success at the Olympics.
From 1990 onward, Rosset was touted as one of the most promising young talents. However, his performances, especially at the majors, proved disappointing, leading many to doubt his capability in the “best of five” format. Yet, remarkably, the seemingly lackadaisical Swiss surprised everyone in Barcelona ’92, storming into the medal zone, notably defeating Jim Courier in the third round. It was a stunning 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 victory, raising eyebrows, particularly considering Courier’s recent wins at Rome and the French Open that year.
Asked about Courier’s apparent decline during the match, Rosset acknowledged: “Yeah, I think so. The first set was pretty close, then I won the second. When I broke him to go up 4:0 in the third, he didn’t try hard anymore. He was just trying to get the points over with.” Despite Courier’s mental struggle in the summer of ’92, Rosset’s confidence soared. He went on to win three more matches against formidable opponents, eventually claiming the most coveted Olympic medal.
It was an incredible, patriotic year for Rosset. He clinched his sole major doubles title (French Open) with fellow Swiss player Jakob Hlasek. Together, they propelled Switzerland to their maiden Davis Cup final, where Rosset clinched a dramatic five-set victory over Courier once more. Contrastingly, the conclusion of the 1991 season hadn’t been as fruitful. Rosset hadn’t reached a single ATP final that year, despite having secured two titles as a teenager. Towards the year-end, he suffered swift defeats indoors against average players, despite possessing one of the fastest serves.
Watching Rosset during the ’90s often gave the impression that he viewed tennis as mere entertainment. He interacted with the crowd, relishing applause for his football skills. His primary shots – the serve and forehand – ranked loosely within the top ten of the ’90s. Even when seemingly not putting in maximal effort, these shots helped secure numerous victories. However, his serve was occasionally problematic. Much like Goran Ivanišević, Rosset’s nonchalance often led him to take substantial risks with his second serve. A notable example was during Stuttgart-indoors ’93. Leading 5:4 (40/15) in the third set against Michael Stich, Rosset committed two consecutive double faults while striving for an ace, resulting in a 6-7, 6-3, 5-7 loss. Two years later, Rosset found redemption, upsetting Stich 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 in the Halle final. In a riveting encounter, he saved three match points in the tie-break during the second set. In the third set, he escaped from *4:5 (15/40), saving yet another match point in that game, and a seventh (last) one at *6:7 in the decisive tie-break. It was his lone grass-court event worth mentioning, he lost more matches on that surface than won which is surprising given his powerful serve and a decent volley technique. One peculiar aspect of his game was his ability to mix two-handed backhands with one-handed ones (among two-handed backhand players only Younes el Aynaoui depended more on slice). He usually opted for an offensive one-handed backhand when attempting passing shots, this versatility added an unpredictable edge to his play.
Post-1992, Rosset’s peak tennis was witnessed on two occasions, both occurring in Paris (he’s a French native speaker) – firstly at Paris-Bercy ’94, reaching the final on carpet, and then at Roland Garros ’96, advancing to the semifinals. In both events, he defeated several top-ranked players. As his career approached its twilight, Rosset primarily played in Challenger events, an uncommon choice for veterans who had previously graced the biggest tennis arenas. A notable instance was the Challenger held in Prague ’03, where Rosset emerged victorious, securing two consecutive wins with identical scorelines (7-6, 6-7, 7-6).
Trivia: the Swiss tennis player amassed the most consecutive victories of his career as a veteran in 2000, claiming back-to-back titles indoors (Marseille – the first of Roger Federer‘s 157 finals – and London). However, his streak was followed by four successive losses.
Career record: 433–351 [ 350 events ]
Career titles: 15
Highest ranking: No. 9
Best GS results:
Australian Open (quarterfinal 1999)
Roland Garros (semifinal 1996)
World Team Cup champion 1996
Olympic gold medal (Barcelona ’92)
Born: December 28, 1979 in Yonkers (New York)
Height: 1.84 m
Plays: Right-handed
The son of an English mother, Blake, with his stylish game and distinctive dreadlocks (two years after he lost them, he began to play better), brought a refreshing aura to the tour at the start of the new century. Expectations soared high. Though not at the same level from the onset, both he and Andy Roddick were expected to fill the shoes of Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras as the mainstays of US tennis. While it did happen, the outcomes fell far below what had been anticipated for both players. The years 2001-2003 marked a turning period in Blake’s career (he didn’t finish Harvard University at the time, deciding to become a pro), establishing him as someone incredibly talented (his back-to-back five-set defeats to Lleyton Hewitt at the US Open were very telling, especially the one in 2002), possibly possessing one of the fastest forehands in history. This wasn’t just about the speed of the ball he could hit but also his super-fast reaction to the opponent’s shots.
However, mentally, he appeared unstable, often unable to hold his nerve in crucial moments required to win the most important events. At different junctures in his career, Blake held an awful record of 0-7 in deciding third-set tie-breaks at the main-level (stopped it in the Sydney ’06 final) and 0-9 in five-set matches, before eventually overcoming these challenges.
I often pondered, ‘How could someone with such a varied skill set have such dismal records?’ Here are my conclusions:
– Blake, akin to the early version of Agassi, was a front-runner… his style of play was fast-paced, but he struggled to sustain concentration for extended periods (he could keep his best focus for two hours at most)… if a ‘no-ad and champions tie-break’ system had been implemented during his era, he might have emerged as one of the most successful players;
– his backhand, although a decent shot overall, was his weakest link… in deciding sets at crucial junctures like 5-all or 6-all, he tended to miss more backhands, aware of this, he often tried to evade using his backhand excessively, taking additional risks by running around it to utilize his forehand;
– he exhibited exorbitant pride in showing emotions, especially when there was a long way to go… while he managed to win a few sets after saving match points, they were predominantly second sets, he seemingly lacked the psychological resilience to engage in a mental battle to shift the momentum, enabling him to lead 2:0 at the beginning of the deciding set after narrowly avoiding defeat in straight sets (his first ATP-level match win from a match point down came in his 138th tournament!)
– he was too conservative with his second serve… to win crucial points, he either needed to match the speed of his first serve with the second, or, given his good volley technique, occasionally experiment with a kick-serve and follow it up with a net approach
Was his talent squandered? Not entirely. His Davis Cup victory over Mikhail Youzhny in the 2007 final, on Friday, stamps his legacy, setting the tone for the weekend (the USA defeated Russia that Saturday). The subsequent year, he came within a point of securing at least a Silver medal, yet wasted a triple match point against Fernando González, a notably challenging opponent (Blake had also lost a five-setter to González in a Davis Cup encounter two years earlier). The Beijing loss must have been excruciating, especially considering Blake’s quarterfinal victory over Roger Federer, avenging eight previous defeats. As someone who became No. 4 in the world, Blake should have won at least one big title and reached a major semifinal. However, it didn’t happen; he played in three big finals (Indian Wells, Shanghai-Masters, Cincinnati), but each time, he received a lesson from Federer – also to the Swiss he lost two major quarterfinals, the third one (first chronologically) to Agassi, being two points away from the victory. In contrast to matches against Federer, Blake felt quite comfortable facing the second-best player of his era – Rafael Nadal. Blake had defeated him three times in a row, then lost four times, but each of those matched required a deciding set. Apart from Blake, also Brad Gilbert and Guy Forget reached the No. 4 in the world never advancing to a Grand Slam semifinal, however, they both triumphed in events adequate to current Masters 1K (Forget twice).
Career record: 366–256 [ 245 events ]
Career titles: 10
Highest ranking: No. 4
Best GS results:
Australian Open (quarterfinal 2008)
US Open (quarterfinal 2005-06)
Davis Cup champion 2007
Hopman Cup champion 2003-04
Born: July 16, 1963 in Malmö (Skåne)
Height: 1.73 m
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
An outlier among the notable Swedish tennis players born in the 1960s, crafted a career distinct from his compatriots. As a member of Sweden’s golden generation of tennis, Pernfors’ path to success, veered away from the typical Swedish mold. Unlike his counterparts, he did not possess towering height and, contrary to the prevalent “Björn Borg‘s pattern” he did not conform to the archetype of the patient Swedish blonde double-handed baseliner. Despite his shorter stature, the brown-haired Pernfors, blended retrieving and attacking strategies, above all displaying a penchant for lobs – popular strokes in an era featuring more attacking players than defensive ones, thereby becoming his trademark.
While other Swedish players trained extensively among their countrymen, Pernfors pursued education at the University of Georgia in the United States. There, he achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the first player since Dennis Ralston [1942-2020] two decades earlier, to clinch back-to-back NCAA singles titles, in 1984 and 1985. “Playing college tennis, I can go in and think, ‘I’m going to win this match,'” Pernfors said in Atlanta ’86 before a match against David Pate 3-6, 6-7(12) in which he squandered eight set points. “But tonight (against a pro), I’ll think I’m not going to win a point. Here, you know every stroke’s going to be a little better, every shot has to be that much better.” His professional journey commenced relatively late, turning pro at 22 after securing his second NCAA championship. Initially ranked outside the Top 200 and grappling with a dismal 3-8 record at the main level, Pernfors encountered a sudden surge in the ATP rankings following promising performances in the early months of 1986. However, as he arrived at the French Open ’86, expectations were modest, yet he defied the odds by progressing to the final, emerging as one of the most unexpected Grand Slam runners-up in the Open Era (similar story with Martin Verkerk seventeen years later). His astonishing feat included ousting four seeded players, especially Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker, elevating him within a year from dreaming of a Top 100 entry to securing a spot among the Top 10.
Further surprising the tennis world, Swedish captain Hans Olsson [1937-2021] controversially chose Pernfors over Mats Wilander to compete in the Davis Cup final ’86. Despite Pernfors’ limited experience on the surface, he nearly justified his selection by stunning Paul McNamee on the opening day and exhibiting exceptional play against Pat Cash before succumbing in five sets (the following year Pernfors lost for the second and last time in his career after winning the first two sets easily, a memorable match against Jimmy Connors).
Subsequent years didn’t yield remarkable achievements, although he maintained a steady Top 30 position with two titles won on American soil. The Australian Open ’90 marked a pivotal turn in his career, catalysed by a controversial fourth-round victory over John McEnroe, who was defaulted in the fourth set. Unfortunately, Pernfors faced a decisive defeat against Yannick Noah in the quarterfinals, subsequently fading from the upper echelons of tennis.
Struggling with a series of injuries, the 27-year-old Swede experienced a drastic decline, plummeting outside the Top 200 for over two years before staging a successful return in 1993, with a shocking triumph in Montreal. Ranked 95th and having clinched three Challenger titles that year, the 30-year-old Pernfors astounded by toppling four seeded players at the Canadian Open, securing his third and last ATP title. In a scorching final amid 85-degree heat (30°C), he mounted a stunning comeback from a 2:5 deficit in the deciding set against Todd Martin, denying him a significant title that many believe Martin deserved to win. After Montreal the motivation evaporated, Pernfors finished his career with 11 successive defeats; it all began in Stockholm ’93 where he was two games away from defeating an in-form Michael Stich in straight sets.
Career record: 140–114 [ 114 events ]
Career titles: 3
Highest ranking: No. 10
Best GS results:
Australian Open (quarterfinal 1990)
Roland Garros (runner-up 1986)
